EMPEROR RULES
HI FOLKS. How oono do? My head is spinning, I am amazed at the extent to which a certain powerful man runs things in this fair isle of ours. The latest is the 15 per cent stake he controls in a redevelopment project. Watch this spot for more on this one.
MISSING MP
Maybe the powerful one can use some of the money coming his way to fix the roads in Horizon Park, St. Catherine. From the community was developed donkey years ago, the roads have been allowed to deteriorate. The potholes are bigger than our balance of payment deficit. The residents, who told 'Eye's' mother a woeful tale, said they have not seen the new MP (or Councillor) since he won the last election. In fact, many did not even see them during election campaign.
STAND FIRM JOHN
In retrospect, I do suppose we pay the Opposition to oppose and they did just that last week by bawling out for John Junor's dismissal over that horrible children's home scandal. But they have got to be as nuts as I am if they thought the PNP faithful would turn their backs on one of their own. If John was welcomed back with open arms after his wild, wild west gun-toting spree of a few years ago, why fire him over this now? And so MP after MP came to his defence laying the blame everywhere but at his feet.
But what took the cake was P.J.'s feeble excuses on behalf of the inept Ambassador for Children. And now comes the new post of Advocate for Children! Give me a break! Why not let the Ambassador for Children do some real work for a change? 'Ear' says that would be boxing bread out of another good comrade's mouth. No wonder Standard and Poor's downgrades us.
STRONG MEDICINE
Following on what I said last week, we need some strong medicine to halt the proliferation of serial mothers and fathers who populate the place with unwanted children who clutter the system and end up at the mercy of a merciless state. And don't tell me that a poor woman's 10th child could grow up to be the next Prime Minister. If those we have had so far are signs of things to come, I'd rather we halt the process before it matures to haunt us. Let's find a humane and moral way to save ourselves by implementing some workable family planning measures, so that the bleeding hearts can shut up. I salute Mrs. Sharon Hay-Webster for being brave enough to say what many of us really have in our hearts.
WELCOMING MISS LOU
She's home at last and I must congratulate this newspaper for its front page treatment of her arrival on Wednesday. Kudos to the writers who painted a word picture for me. But in our weekly phone chat, 'Ear' said she has to admire P.J. for his ability to do the right thing at the right time. Bringing home Miss Lou for independence is a brilliant stroke. From her vantage point at the airport, my friend said she got goose bumps when our cultural icon joined in singing the folk song. Now, although I am far removed from the violence down here in my part of the West, I am begging oono raggamuffin town people to behave oonoself and nuh badda kill off one annada while Miss Lou is here.
ANOTHER WHITE ELEPHANT
Did you all hear the news item about the "under-utilised Port Antonio Marina?" Wonders never cease. 'Eye' is convinced she's psychic because just last week she visited friends in the beautiful parish and told me that the place is virtually devoid of action. Where are all the pleasure boats that should be sailing there in droves? Nutten nah gwaan down there! So now we will once again have to seek the help of foreigners to market a local treasure. I am sad because the marina and its environs are hundreds of times more spectacular than the one in Antigua but that one is a virtual traffic jam of pleasure boats all year round. Did any of our highly paid consultants visit Antigua to find out how it's done? And what about joint ventures especially at this time when we are paying so much lip service to Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME)? It's no wonder that someone who attended the recently held CARICOM conference concluded that the motley crew of Caribbean leaders are all a dying breed of dinosaurs whose pre-historic approaches to leadership lack vision and imagination necessary to move ahead in the 21st century. As a man with my own giant sized ego, I had to temporarily set it aside and agree with the fellow who went on to say that the Caribbean needs a few strong, vibrant women heads of government. Now there's a thought.
HAPPY RETIREMENT
We hear that the former politician who held sway in a parish that rated among the poorest, is now at the helm of a large quarry in the middle of the island. And that leads to my question this week.
PONDER WITH PANDORA
Do you think we will ever have a government and opposition of 60 multi-millionaires who are so independently wealthy they don't need to do anything else but focus on the welfare of the country?
